[Video]

[lonered]

[This is new for Keith. He monitors the network, of course, too paranoid not to pay attention to everything that's going on around him, but actually posting something? It's out of his comfort zone. It's the vlog all over again.

So he looks awkward, like he can't believe he's actually doing this. But he is. He's still wearing the green apron that makes up his uniform (the Moonbucks logo just barely visible in frame), mullet tamed back into a little ponytail. He's got a coffee in his hands, and he's tucked himself at a table back in the far corner of the cafe he works in. He's on break.]

Is it really that bad if someone spells your name wrong on a coffee cup? I mean, the drink's right. I always get the drink right. Isn't that the important part?

[Someone has had a few complaints apparently.] It's loud and busy in here. How am I supposed to hear the difference between Bob and Bog? ...Bog could be a name. I know I've met a Bog.

[They were an alien, but that is not the point. He spreads his hands in a "see? a point!" gesture. And in this gesture he uncovers his own name written on his cup. Somehow he's left off the "h" and and scrawled the "t" in such a way that it looks more like a "f" and anyway, he's currently drinking a coffee that belongs to "Keif."

This problem goes deep.

Anyway.]

Sometimes I think this job isn't a great fit. Also I'm pretty sure I'm going to smell like pumpkin spice for the rest of my life. There's not even any pumpkin in it.

[Keith's having that kind of day.

Anyone who wants to catch him in person at work, feel free to find him brooding into his coffee on his break. And feel free to have been personally victimized by Keith's inability to get names right on coffee orders.]

Comments

[lonered]

Fair point.

[Nope, anti-reassuring. But it's Pidge, so what can he really do? And he does believe that last part so they should be fine.] Unless they had it coming, yeah. [They're all pretty good at kicking asses that deserve to be kicked, at the end of the day.]

[pidgewidgeon]

Oh yeah of course. If someone does something that requires hurting then it's just self defense.

[lonered]

Exactly.

[That's the way these things work. Keith shakes his head.]

You should drop by more, for as long as I'm still here anyway. [Quick glance in the direction of the counter. Will he get fired or move on to a new job first? Anyone's guess.] You can use my discount. Teammates count as family.

[Or Keith has decided they do.]

[pidgewidgeon]

[ The grin she turns to Keith is bright and cheerful ] I'm the annoying little sister who can hack all your stuff that you never wanted.

[lonered]

[Careful, Pidge. He's actually touched by that right there.]

I dunno, having a hacker in the family comes in handy.

[A quick twitch of his lips into a grin. Facts are facts. Pidge has hacked their way into and out of trouble more times than he can count.]

[pidgewidgeon]

Yeah [ she kind of drawls the word out ] Matt said that too until he realized I had made a copy of his browsing history including his favorite porn sites.

[lonered]

I don't watch porn, [Keith lies.

And for just a moment feels a strong pang of sympathy of Matt.]

[pidgewidgeon]

[ yeah. sure. right. ]

Past you sure as shit did, I got a weird as fuck text at 3am one time asking why someone would make Mothman porn.

[lonered]

Past me needs to learn to lie better.

[Keith sighs, sinking back in his chair.]

Why would someone make Mothman porn?

[pidgewidgeon]

[ The look Pidge turns on Keith is pure Cat That Ate The Canary before replying: ] Past you managed to lie about dating Lance for a year before I figured it out. So like actually, A+ job on that.

[lonered]

[And the look that Keith turns on Pidge is confused at best, verging on unsettled.]

Uh...

[No, his brain has no idea where to go with that, so it goes nowhere.]

[pidgewidgeon]

[ Pidge waits, keeping an eye on Keith's face and waiting for his reaction. It's a lot less... explosive than she was expecting, but she can actually see his brain break which is amusing enough. ]

Huh. I was honestly expecting more of a reaction than that.

[lonered]

[Keith frowns now.]

I... really don't know how to react. [And these days he's less prone to outbursts, since his two years of forced zen on the space whale. The extended spiritual retreat he never, ever asked for.] I've never thought of Lance like that. We're... friends. Maybe? I don't know. He might argue about that, depending on his mood.

[He can't figure it out.] Anyway, he's not the one I-- [Wait, no. This way lies danger so he'll just trail off into an awkward shrug.]

[pidgewidgeon]

Lance in the right mood will argue that the sky isn't actually blue.

[ It's said absently because she's really more interested in that last utterance. ]

'Not the one'? That implies there's someone. Do you have a crush? [ Congrats, she's going to be like a dog at a bone until she either gets the information she wants or Keith gets really uncomfortable. She's hoping for the first though. ]

[lonered]

Heh. Yeah, you've got a point.

[It is true.

Keith freezes at the question, like he's running through his best strategy here, checking his escape routes. He always clocks his exits, after all.]

Do I have a crush?

[Yes, Keith. That's what she asked. Well done.] That's...

[Damn it.] Who would I have a crush on? [Answering a question with a question, the strategy of folks with nothing to hide everywhere.]

[pidgewidgeon]

[ She sets her elbows on the table - forearms up - links her fingers together, and rests her chin on top.

Keeping eye contact, she just stares at Keith. Not saying a word. Just hoping the silence is effective at unnerving ]